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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

I hate my common name! Can I change it as an adult?

58 replies

MoggTheCat · 07/02/2019 22:30

My name is Louise. I have always hated it as it is so common amongst women my age (born late 70s). There were four of us called Louise in my class at school. There are several Louise’s at my new workplace. My children have more unusual names as I didn’t want them to suffer the same fate! Would it be unreasonable to consider changing my name now? Or would it just be too difficult to get my friends and family to adjust to a new name?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MelinaM · 07/02/2019 22:35

You can quite easily via deedpoll. Having your family and friends adjust to using your new name might be quite challenging!

I think Louise is lovely, do you have a middle name that you can use?

stairway · 07/02/2019 22:40

There were 6 with my name in one particular class at secondary school. We were all given numbers as the teacher couldn’t cope. It wasn’t Louise though . I hated having a common name too but would change it. When I go to see my husbands family abroad I’m the only one with my name and it’s great.
You can change your name but would your family be miffed? And what would you choose?

Antonin · 07/02/2019 22:41

I have a friend who changed her name when she was in her 40s and it didn’t seem to take terribly long for people to adjust and now I never think of her by anything but her new name

Bluntness100 · 07/02/2019 22:45

I think your name is nice, and I don't think it's common at all, you've clearly been unlucky as I only know two Louises.

You can change it as pp have said, but yes, I think it would be difficult for people to adjust if you're in your forties,

Snog · 07/02/2019 22:45

What new name would you choose

Drogosnextwife · 07/02/2019 22:48

My dp had 6 boys in his primary class with the same name! It is a really common name he had.

I'm. Or keen on my name but it doesn't bother me too much. I would say if you really hate it change it if you think it will make you happier.

Fiddie · 07/02/2019 22:50

I like LouLou

Original poster

MoggTheCat · 07/02/2019 23:06

Thank you for your responses. I do have a middle name but it is also very common! My family probably would be a bit upset, which is something I need to take into account. There are lots of names I like, but they are probably a bit too unusual, such as Tuesday, Velvet and Aurelia. Maybe something that sounds cheerful and friendly. Molly?

OP posts:

ApolloandDaphne · 07/02/2019 23:10

Louise is a lovely name!

There were loads of my name too in the 60's (Karen) but i like my name. After more than 50 years it is just me.

MelinaM · 07/02/2019 23:11

Louise is much nicer than Molly, Louisa? Do you have a nickname?

CallMeRachel · 07/02/2019 23:13

I'm late 70's child too and there was only one louise in my class and another one with an a on the end making it Louisa, I really like your name.

My friend Louise goes by the name Elle (L) for social media so her clients can't look her up. Would using the first letter sound as a modification work for you?

I don't think popularity should affect how you feel, a name is just a tag.

Look at all the Johns, Steve's and Mohammed's out there

Aeonium · 07/02/2019 23:14

Why do you need to legally change your name? You could use a nickname like Lola or Lulu? Or a nickname related to your surname? Or even a random name! My mum is legally called June but everyone knows her as Aggie because when she was young she looked like the blonde woman from ABBA.

100mdash · 07/02/2019 23:14

I knew someone who did just that but without even the deedpoll bit. She was moving and changing jobs though so a bit easier.

To be honest it didn’t take long at all to adjust. The only sticking point was her parents, her dad refused to acknowledge the new name and her mother kept forgetting.

The only time it was ever a problem was when she went to stay at her parents and someone tried to contact her on their landline. It was pre mobile phones and her dad answered and said they had the wrong number. Wouldn’t be a problem these days.

CleaningKettles · 07/02/2019 23:15

Louise was very common. Along with Kelly, Michelle, Sarah, and a few others.

I had a common name, middle name was no better. Changed them both in my 30's, no problem. Very easy and I'm glad I did.

KittensAndCake · 07/02/2019 23:15

Yes Elle could be good, or a kind of variant of Louise, something like Luan?

Original poster

MoggTheCat · 07/02/2019 23:25

My old work colleagues called me Lou, DH calls me Looby, best friend calls me Loulabelle!

Using the L sound, like Elle, is an interesting idea that I hadn’t thought of.

I’ve had a lot of therapy over the past couple of years and have begun to realise I can make decisions for myself and not stick to other people’s rules all the time. Wanting to change my name probably stems from that, as it’s bothered me for years but it has only recently occurred to me that I could actually do something about it!

OP posts:

MelinaM · 07/02/2019 23:35

Loulabelle sounds fun!

Tallulah
Louella

Original poster

MoggTheCat · 07/02/2019 23:39

Could I actually change it to Loulabelle or would that be totally ridiculous?! 😹

OP posts:

NorthEndGal · 07/02/2019 23:52

My name is so stupidly common, and so was the male variant, that between guys and girls there were 7 of us that answered to on name.
My DH had the exact same issue, also very common for guys and girls, and there were 5 with their name in class.
When we had our dc in the late 90's, we went with incredibly unique names. DD is one of 2 I have ever come across, and DS is the only one I have ever come across. This includes online, as well.

I totally understand your situation! Do what feels right, you are the one who answers to it, not anyone else.

Bryjam · 07/02/2019 23:58

Change it to whatever you want. Life is incredibly short, make the choice and go for it!

I changed my name to the shortened version (think Jennifer to Jenny) a few years ago, also changed my middle name to something cool but almost certainly outing!

I hated my name, have used short version since primary school so I decided one morning to make it official, and I did.

GemmeFatale · 08/02/2019 00:04

I know two different women who changed their first names when they got married. They figured they were already doing the paperwork to change one name, why not get a first name they liked with it.

As for people finding it difficult, people seem to manage when people change their names when they marry/divorce so I don’t see why this would be any more difficult.

importantkath · 08/02/2019 00:08

My sister is Louise and we all now call her Loula (after a decade of her insisting her name was Loulabelle).
I remember as a kid being jealous, because it was such a pretty name.
I love her name so much, I gave DD it as a middle name, in honour of her.

You can do whatever you want, it's your name, but FWIW, I think it's a lovely name.

Snog · 08/02/2019 06:02

I know an 18 year old who just changed her name by deed poll.
Do it OP, I think it will be empowering to take control of this pet of your identity

Snog · 08/02/2019 06:02

Part of

Popskipiekin · 08/02/2019 06:59

This may be a common abbreviation, and I appreciate it’s not about the same name as Louise, but a new colleague started with us called Lel. I thought it was a super cool name and maybe a shortening of Eleanor. Turns out she was Lesley but absolutely hated her name. I think you could choose a name beginning with L so it’s less of a shock to you and your family and just go with it as an abbreviation/nickname. Like - Lara, Lily etc

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